Dennis Dodd projects a fourth-straight 11-win season for the Gamecocks, an SEC title and coach of the year honors for Steve Spurrier.

Jeremy Fowler also predicts that South Carolina will win the SEC championship. "South Carolina snaps the five-year streak of SEC West champions and takes the league crown. Spurrier throws shade on loop for the next five years from the golf course," he wrote.

Jerry Palm, however, considers USC the conference's most overrated team. "The Gamecocks have a lot to replace on defense, especially up front with the losses of Jadeveon Clowney and Kelcy Quarles," he said. "With road games against Auburn, Florida and Clemson, they'll need that unit to be in top form to compete for the league title."

Jerry Hinnen also believes Spurrier will grab the top coaching honor with an SEC East title, saying: "It doesn't seem possible for a legend of the game like the OBC to actually go underappreciated, but what Spurrier has accomplished in Columbia – three consecutive 11-2 seasons, if you haven't noticed, with damn good odds of a fourth in 2014 – is nothing short of remarkable, given the Gamecocks' historical struggles. An SEC East title would only add to Spurrier's already-deserved reputation as the greatest coach in program history."

Chip Patterson says Spurrier will win coach of the year honors, but also wrote that the conference's most overrated team would be the loser of USC-Georgia, which will take place Sept. 13 at Williams-Brice Stadium.

Tom Fornelli, Dodd, Fowler and Hinnen all believe USC will win the SEC East. The other three predict the Gamecocks to finish second behind Georgia.

The group projects all-conference honors for running back Mike Davis and offensive linemen A.J. Cann and Brandon Shell.